This password gives people in your charity access to detailed information about your charity and individuals connected with it. When giving access to this password you need to have measures in place to make sure that the system is used only for proper purposes, and that the information accessed through the Commission’s services will be treated carefully and sensitively and in accordance with legal requirements including the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

When to complete your annual return

If your charity’s income is more than £10,000 you must complete an annual return within 10 months of the financial reporting year ending. All Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) must complete an annual return regardless of their income.

As trustees, you’re responsible for making sure your charity’s annual return is completed on time. If you delegate this task to a member of staff, make sure they know what to do and when it is due.

Plan ahead to make sure your charity completes its annual return on time. You must also:

keep your charity’s password safe, particularly if the person who has it leaves the charity

arrange handover training if someone takes over responsibility for completing the annual return

arrange a trustee meeting to agree the accounts and trustees’ annual report within two months of the financial period ending

Completing annual returns – the law

By law you must keep your charity’s registered details up to date. You need to update your charity’s details before you complete the annual return.

If your charity’s income is more than £10,000, you must complete an annual return within 10 months of the end of each financial reporting period. Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) must complete an annual return regardless of their income.

If you need to complete an annual return form for financial years ending in 2014 or 2015, you can use this form and email it to us.

If you fail to meet this legal requirement, your charity’s details will be marked ‘overdue’. This can put off potential donors, funders or volunteers.

If you do not submit your annual return it may be viewed as an indication that the charity is no longer operating, or doesn’t exist. If a registered charity no longer operates or exists we may remove it from the charity register.

If your charity is not a CIO and its income is under £10,000, complete the annual return to meet your legal obligation to keep your registered details up to date.

Charity annual returns and the register

Over 6 million people search the charity register every year. The annual return you complete tells potential donors, funders, volunteers and beneficiaries about your charity. For example:

how people can contact your charity

what it is set up to do

how it meets its aims

how much money it makes and spends

where it operates

You can find most of the information you need in your charity’s accounts and trustees’ annual report.

13 December 2018
Minor amendment to the new questions for 2018 document (line 34 and 37). All charities also need to check and update their details before submitting the annual return.

29 October 2018
The deadline for submitting the 2017 annual return is the 31 October. Also added information about changes to updating your charity details and all new questions for the 2018 annual return.

28 September 2018
Added the annual return deadline for 2017 and updated links to the new questions for the 2018 return.

11 September 2018
Added translation

20 August 2018
The 2018 annual return service is now available.

22 December 2017
Updated the link to accounting essentials for charities. This is for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 November 2016.

8 December 2017
You can now submit your 2017 annual return. You will need to submit your annual return for 2016 before you can do the return for 2017.

6 October 2017
Added a link to Charity reporting and accounting (CC15c) and quick summary tables showing what you need to submit.

10 September 2017
Added Welsh translation.

25 August 2017
The annual return service for 2017 is now available. You will need to submit your annual return for 2016 before you can do the return for 2017.

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